Think we can't live without plastic? Think again. In 2007 I committed to stop buying any new plastic & I've almost succeeded! Won't you join me? Let's see what plastic-free looks like today… for the health of our bodies, our oceans, our planet. ~Beth Terry

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September 20, 2011

Plastic Challenge: Margaret, Week 11

Anyone have sleep remedies that don’t come in plastic bottles?

Location:Tualatin, Oregon, United States

Name: Margaret

Week: 11

Personal Info:

I live in an apartment with my cat. We’re in a metropolitan area outside the city, that’s not really suburbia, but not really urban.

Margaret’s personal blog:

Total items: 45

Total weight: 7.9 ounces

Items: Recyclable
*2 prescription bottles
*4 supplement bottles – 3 are sleep-related
*Molded plastic from rechargeable batteries packaging – I don’t use many batteries. At home, just for my camera and MP3 player. But my computer mouse at work seems to go through them at a ridiculous rate, so I’m trying out rechargeables. This is also a trial to convince my employer to buy rechargeable batteries for everyone. I don’t usually include plastic from work, but buying my own package of 4 rechargeable batteries is a lot more packaging than the bulk package of (42?) disposable batteries that are available at work.

Items: Nonrecyclable
*2 garbage bags (not shown) (one should have been in last week’s tally) – not completely sure how the compost bin is doing, so I felt like avoiding it and just put stuff in the trash. I’m working on balancing the dry/wet ingredients.
*3 lid rings and 3 seals from new supplement bottles
*Wrapping from new mascara tube
*3 Luna Bar wrappers
*2 string cheese wrappers (dairy and individually wrapped plastic – everything I want to avoid but sometimes want anyways)
*2 lint roller sheets
*Plastic handle from Feline Pine cat litter box – the rest of the package is all cardboard
*Desert Essence blemish stick lid and roller
*2 lid rings from ice cream (one dairy, one vegan)
*3 fruit leather wrappers (using up pre-challenge package)
*Raisins package – replaced from the bulk bin
*Potato chip bag
*A little piece of foam I found in my car
*A command adhesive strip – there’s an antenna thing in my car for the alarm, which is attached by wires at the top of the windshield, and which is secured by an adhesive pad. Which melts each summer once the temperature hits about 85, and needs to be replaced (and it annoyingly hangs down from the wires if not attached to the windshield). (The 85 degree mark was a few weeks ago, I just finally brought it in from my car.)
*Elastic string, attaching the tag to a new pair of shoes
*2 plastic windows from paper bread bags
*2 sticker backings from postage labels on packages – one was returning a pair of shoes to VivoBarefoot that didn’t fit quite right; the other was returning Fill-Air packaging to be recycled.
*3 produce stickers
*Shipping label plastic cover
*2 foot-stretcher-thingies that come inside new shoes

What items can I easily replace with plastic free or less plastic alternatives?

What items would I be willing to give up if a plastic free alternative doesn’t exist?
Dairy. I don’t want to eat dairy, I don’t want to eat dairy, I don’t want to eat dairy…. Eventually I’ll believe it.

What items are essential and seem to have no plastic-free alternative?
Melatonin (a sleep supplement)

Rechargeable batteries – although this will cut down on plastic in the long run

Mascara – it really is an essential, I’m blonde and my eye lashes are lighter than my hair, they just disappear without mascara

Cat litter – cardboard box with a plastic handle is as plastic-free as it gets short of carrying in some sand from the beach

I hadn’t thought about “supplement” herbs in bulk! Herbs are available in bulk at several stores I go to; I was already planning to get those as I run out of kitchen herbs (it takes me about 10 years or so to get through a jar). Another one of those Duh moments.

Margaret, can you get herbs in bulk without plastic? If so, there are some great ones for sleep. Valerian works really well for me. Hops too. Chamomile is relaxing. You can also find some supplements in glass bottles, although I haven’t seen melatonin in glass. And I do understand how well that stuff works!